ons of your fuperiors under your own review, as the dernier refort the wildest anarchy, the moft ab folute confufion behoved to follow; and you could cut no better figure, in your church capacity, than a human body would cut, with it's various members totally inverted.

But, my dear friends, when, the principle, from whence fuch notions proceed, is traced to it's original; it will probably appear to be nothing elfe than a love of power, the very crime with which others are fometimes fo illiberally charged.

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Where, for instance, men,-uncalled, unqualified, and without authority, take upon them to teach and govern in the church; do they not dif cover an averfion at the thought of being taught and governed?-where they allow themfelves to fee nothing but blemishes in the administration of o thers; does it not infinuate an apprehension, that they themselves could fill fuch places of truft with greater honour and advantage? And, where their not being acknowleged, in particular decifions, ftimulires prejudices against them; does it not difplay the haughty idea they entertain of their own wif dom and importance?

Let none, therefore, deliberately fleer upon the very rocks, against which, it is alledged, regular office-bearers in the church ufually dafh. Though they should, in reality, or in your apprehenfion only, fall into one extreme, by an abufe of power; fee, that you do not flide into another, by thinking that no executive power is lodged in particular officers at all.

Rather, my brethren, be exhorted, to mark the propriety, expediency, and neceffity of a scriptural fubjection to your lawful fuperiors in the Lord. And though you fhould find yourfelves obliged to decline the jurifdiction of one church, from an ap

prehenfion

prehenfion that Christ's laws are not executed in her; rather than prefume, at your own hands, to act as executors of them,-be exhorted to join yourfelves to fuch other duly organized church as may be taught and governed more agreeably to your views of fcripture authority.

At the fame time, may not church officers, notwithstanding of all the truft which is reposed in them, be faid to go from their own fpheres; act out of character; and contribute likewife toward the production and promotion of schifmin as far as they difcourage the exercife of private judgment, in matters of doctrine and duty;-deprive the difciples of Chriftian freedom, in the choice of teachers and rulers; or, any how, render the brethren's right of private judgment and free election obfolete and ineffectual?

Where liberty is the distinguishing badge of a people, every encroachment upon it must be deeply affecting.

If the brethren, as men, have a natural right to judge, with whom they would entrust the care of their health and eftates ;-and if they may lawfully chufe and employ, accordingly, for themselves :--with what propriety can they, as Chriftians, be rob bed of the more interefting privilege of judging and chufing, in concerns of a fpiritual nature?

If difguft, diffenfion, or even rebellion itself, might neceffarily flow from men's having their natural privileges wrefted our of their hands ;-Can approbation, unanimity, and obedience be expected, if their Chriftian privileges fhould be wantonly extorted from them.

Such oppreffion may, indeed, be fometimes war ranted by particular laws; but, if thofe laws were made only to keep oppreffors in countenance, (espe cially if previous and approved ftatutes are thereby, abrogated,

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abrogated, or rendered ufelefs)- fo far from preventing, would they not rather ftimulate the breach?

Or, for argument's fake, though oppreffive mea. fures were fupported by ancient, as well as modern, civil as well as ecclefiaftic laws; if they were juftified by no part of that pattern fhewn in the fcriptures, could remonftrance, and feceffion, on the part of the difciples, be thought, in the leaft furprizing?

And, to whatever caufe prejudice may ufually afcribe it, when church decrees have not the fame effect upon Chriftians now, that the decrees of the apoftles and elders had upon the multitude at Antioch ;-Is it not more than probable,―That they have not feemed good to the Holy Ghost?

But, if they fhould, in fact, be contrary to the "more fure word of prophecy",-however good they might feem to men of every order, could it be reasonably imagined, that the multitude of believers would have freedom to acquiefce in them ?— Upon one fuppofition only," That Chriftians might warrantably hearken unto men, rather "than to God.”

Thefe being the principles from whence lawful, or even laudible diffentions might be accounted for, the conftituent members of this Provincial Synod will bear with me, while at your own command, I now "ftir up your pure minds, by way of remem"brance."

That, to deprive all of every apology for diffenfion, You would attend to the expediency, as well as juftice, of fecuring the difciples, under your infpection, in the whole rights transferred to them by Jefus Chrift.

Though church-officers of other communions fhould hold their people in the most fovereign contempt; (by lording over their confciences,-count

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ing them equally unfit, to judge what doctrines they should receive, as illiterate patients, what medicines they fhould apply, and reckoning it no more competent for them, to chufe their own paftors, than it is for children, to pitch upon `pedagogues for themselves :) without pretending, at farther length, to determine the boundaries of their privileges, let our people have unceasing proofs of the most tender concern for their peace and edification.

Though we give them leave to distinguish, according to the fcriptures and our own ftandards, between truth and error; though we permit them to judge what minifterial gifts are most adapted to their capacities; though we hear fuch remon ftrances as are founded upon juft claims of right; and though we grant fuch redrefs of grievances as is competent for us, and confiftent with our character and duty; do we any more, than" be"come all things to all men ?”.

Let the clergy of other churches be determined, if they will, in their decifions, by the wildom of this world, the opinions and commandments of men; --by attachment to party, love of politics, defire of gain, or uniformity of conduct, without regard to divine authority at all; but, let us,-regardless of every other confideration, of every lower motive, let us make conicience of iquaring all our decifions by "the law and the testimony."

While their ftatutes are founded upon-" Thus faith the wifdom of human legislatures:-Thus "faith the councils of the fathers;-Thus faith "the Pope, or the People;"-let us glory in founding ours upon-" THUS SAITH THE "LORD."

Nay, to whatever difcoveries other ecclefiaftics may pretend, until we fee, from our bibles, that difappointing

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difappointing, difcouraging, and diftreffing the members of Chrift; that licencing and ordaining men of doubtful or dangerous principles; that protecting the enemies of the reformed fyftem, weakning the hands of it's best friends, forwardness in censuring difobedience to our own orders, delicacy in finding fault with the breach of God's commands, and fixing paftoral relations without the leaft profpect of ufe fulncfs; until we fee that an imitation of fuch meafures would feem good to the Holy Ghost,-I trust it will never never feem good to us.

By keeping, therefore, in our own spheres, and continuing to act in character, the difciples will fill have caufe to rejoice" for the confolation,"-whenever our decrces are announced ;-diffen fions, meriting the malleft notice, will be prevented and the "enity of the Spirit in the bond of peace," happily. preferved.

SER